A Cake isn’t what you would give as a snack for your cat. What if the cat feeds on the cake itself? Well, a cake is not risky to their health, but it isn’t something that you should give to them. But then this happens every once in a while that your cat gets it’s grasp on something it should particularly eat.
So can a cat eat a cake? Is it safe or not? Should you consult a doctor if your cat feeds on a cake? We will answer all of these questions here in this article. Keep on reading it further to know if your cat can get away with eating cake or not?
Can Cats Eat Cake?
A cat can eat cake as long as it’s not chocolate. You must wonder whether the ingredients in a cake can pose a threat to your pet or not. Of course, a vet would not suggest that you should feed a cake to your cat, but it should be totally fine if the cat does eat the cake in your absence or even by mistake.
It is okay if your cat tastes icing; however, the addition of chocolate could make it harmful for them. Cats don’t taste sweet things that much, so it could be a waste letting your cat eat chocolate cake or chocolate icing.
What ingredients could make the cake unsafe for a cat?
Cakes are made of, more or less, the same kind of ingredients with just a bit of a variation in the ingredients. Such as:
- Butter
- Baking powder
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Milk
These are some of the standard items used in the making of a cake, and they pose no threat to a cat’s health alone. Even if there is vanilla icing, it would be safe as well as it contains confectionery sugar and oil. Some cakes specifically have some different kinds of ingredients used that could harm your cat, such as a carrot cake.
A carrot cake is essentially made from baking powder, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, carrots, cream cheese, powdered sugar, etc. while Nutmeg and Ginger could cause some potential problems as they’re both spices and can be harmful to the cat if taken in high doses. But ginger still could be of benefit if given in a small amount.
Peculiar Taste Buds of Cats
If your cat does eat a piece of cake by accident, it is going to be fine. Your cat will not suffer if she has just a small amount as it hardly has any effect on them. This is because cats do not taste as much as human beings can. We, human beings, can taste things in more depth than a cat would.
This is mainly because of the no. of taste buds we have which is way more than that of cats. Cats have about 473 taste buds, whereas human beings have about 9,000 taste buds which is why we can taste the deepest flavours. Cats cannot taste sweet, and they can’t enjoy the cake as much as we do. Since they have such a low number of taste buds, their tastes are very weak.
However, they do smell better than us as their sense of smell is way better than what we have. A cat is most probably tasted by the temperature of the food. They sense their food through temperatures only. A cat would like food that is 86 degrees Fahrenheit as its tongues are of the same temperature. This is why cats enjoy ice cream and things of such sort.
What to do if you want to celebrate your cat’s birthday?
If you do want to celebrate your cat’s birthday with a cake, you could just feed a little amount of the cake. However, it is still not recommended by a vet; you could go for several kinds of specially packed canned foods that are different from what they usually eat on a routine basis.
There are several kinds of special foods such as Seafood pate or dry chicken flavoured kibble that you can purchase from your standard pet store. You can even decorate it like a three-tier cake to make it look like a proper cake.
You could make use of several different things that your cat loves and does not pose a threat to their health. It will still seem special to them.
What would happen if a cat feeds on chocolate?
If a cat feeds on chocolate or chocolate frosting, it could result in chocolate poisoning.
Some of the symptoms to look out for are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Stiff muscles
- Fever
- Rapid breathing
- Blood pressure drop
- Weakness
- Seizure
- Death in extreme cases.
An excess amount of sugar is life-threatening for your cat, and you must take care of the contents of the cake your cat is eating. The cat will gain weight gradually as she keeps feeding on the cake, and it will lead to obesity.
Obesity is a lifelong problem, and the cat would become even more lethargic. It could suffer from breathlessness and decreased movements. They would get even less physical, and that could have a serious effect on their health.
Obesity, along with cancer, is a deadly disease for a cat. Diabetes is even a common problem for them. Therefore, a cat must not indulge in such foods to keep themselves alive and healthy.
Frequently asked Questions
Q1. Can cats eat cheesecake?
Yes! Cats can eat cheesecake but only a piece or two. One must not let their cats overindulge as it could have deadly consequences for them.
Q2. Can a cat eat vanilla cake?
Anything in moderation should be fine for your kitty as long as you keep an eye on them. They cannot taste sweet much, so let them just enjoy a little of that piece by themselves.
Q3. Can a cat eat carrot cake?
Carrot does have Vitamin A, which can be good for your cat’s eyesight. However, the high amount of sugar could ruin their health.
Q4. Can a cat eat chocolate?
No, cats should not be fed chocolate as it could be harmful to their health. A bar of chocolate may have high amounts of sugar and calorie that could lead to serious ailments like diabetes, obesity, etc.
The Bottom Line
So if I were to conclude the article, a cat could eat a spoonful of vanilla cake or even cheesecake. However, you should not let your furry little pet overindulge in the sweetness, or it could have serious repercussions on their health.
Cakes contain so much sugar and calories that they can cause diabetes in cats. A cat does not necessarily need all those calories as they don’t usually exercise that much. Yes, a fluffy cat would look cute, but you need to take care of their health for them as they cannot do it themselves.
Therefore, you can feed your cat a little cake however, keep in mind to not overdo it as your furry friend relies on you for their life. Do not let them waste it and enjoy everything in moderation. Good Luck!